Mind Control
Overview Mind Control allows you to temporarily take control of your target for up to one minute and use it to attack other enemies. Mind control serves as a unique form of crowd control in that not only is the target removed from the fight temporarily but the target's powers can be directed against other enemies. However, unlike the Rogue's sap or the Mage's polymorph powers, when the priest is mind controlling a target the priest himself is essentially removed from battle and cannot cast any heals or attacks until Mind Control is broken. However if you Mind Control a healer mob you may use that mob's powers to heal your own party. If you Mind Control another player in PvP combat you are limited to melee attacks. Functionality When control of a unit has be passed to the priest, the viewpoint will shift to the controlled unit. An additional bar of commands appears atop the action bar in which the controlled unit's special abilities can be found. Note that if the controlled unit is moved too far from the controlling priest, the spell will be disrupted. Hitting the priest will not break their control of the target, but there are abilities & effects that will interrupt the spell. Naturally, death will likewise disrupt the spell. When the spell ends, the controlled unit -- if not a player -- will have a large degree of aggro on the priest who controlled it. Though it's not clear from the descripion, Mind Control actually lets a priest usurp the will of a player or mob up to two levels above the priest's initially. Each successive rank of Mind Control raises the uppper limit by 1, so that by Rank 3 you can control any unit up to 4 levels above the priest's level. Since it is unclear if Rank 3 is harder to resist than Rank 2 or Rank 1, it might be worth using the lower ranks if the target unit is within the priest's range to save mana. This spell is channelled, and thus the priest will not regenerate mana while it is being cast. The following mobs can provide useful buffs to your group or raid when Mind Controlled: * Scarshield Spellbinder (Blackrock Spire) Fire Resistance buff that gives up to +83 resistance for 60 minutes. * Scarlet Medic (Felstone Field in Western Plaguelands) Arcane Resistance buff that gives +70 to +82 resistance for 60 minutes. * Crimson Initiates (Stratholme) Shadow Resistance buff which decreases shadow damage taken by 87. * Twilight Emissaries (Blackrock Depths) Fury of Ragnaros buff that gives +25 magical damage for 30 minutes. * Vile Tutor (Eastern Plaguelands) Dark Whispers buff that gives +35 shadow spell damage for 10 minutes. Some spellcaster mobs can provide with powerful AoE spells when Mind Controlled. A few examples: * Whelp Handlers in Scholomance (Cone of Cold, Blast Wave) * Bloodaxe Evokers in Blackrock Spire (Flamecrack, Fire Nova) * Various warlock type mobs can cast Shadow Bolt Volley. ---------------- Here are some more Mind Control uses straight from the WoW Priest forums! (http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-priest&t=528802&p=1) Wheee! Thankee for the sticky! Mind Control FAQ v1.3 What is Mind Control? Mind Control (Rank 1/2/3) 350/550/750 Mana 20 yd range 3 sec cast Controls a humanoid mind up to level 32/47/70 (Scales with own level), but slows its attack speed by 20%. Lasts up to 1 min. Mind control is obtainable at level 30 by priests, and can be used to crowd control, use an enemies' abilities against them, and lots of other creative stuff that are towards the end of this FAQ. Why don't priests use Mind Control in instances very often? A couple of reasons: The 20yard range means that quite often you won't be able to cast the spell without getting in aggro range. Even if you do get the Mind Control off, it is very unpredictable. I've seen mind control last the full 60 seconds, and I've seen it break in less than a second, and if it does break early, your tank will have a hell of a time getting the mob off you, as it causes a tremendous amount of aggro. Finally, Mind control is a channeled spell, so the priest can not heal the group while Mind controlling something. And why not in PvP? Again, the range is a factor, generally if you're within 20 yards of something you probably don't want to take 3 seconds to cast mind control, especially in group PvP. However, if you can trick the enemy into attacking thier own players if you're clever enough, but the range is a problem. What are the "Mind control buffs"? Mind control buffs are buffs that are obtained by casting Mind control on a mob, and getting that mob to cast the buff on you or your party. We've got a nice looking list of them a little further down. So what can you do with mind control? Mind control is by no means "useless", but it is very situational. More often than not, it's used, simply because it's a damn fun ability to use, which is what this thread is all about. I heard that some of the Mind Control buffs are concidered exploits, is this true? Nope, it's been confimed by Caydiem that using these buffs is creative use of game mechanics and not exploiting at all. http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?FN=wow-dungeons&T=269773&P=1 How do you find Mind Control buffs? By luck, mainly. Go out and mind control something and see if you can cast any of its abilities on yourself. If you find one, be sure to report it here, and we'll hopefully see this thread get longer and longer with more buffs and ideas. Tips, Hints and Info about Mind Control # Mind control duration is partly controlled by distance. The farther your 'pet' is from you, the higher the chance of breaking. Solution : Park it on top of yourself unless you have other plans in mind for it OR if the npc you are fighting has some sort of stun/cc (Shield bash/gouge/polymorph etc). # Mind control a healer if it's available. Why spend your own mana and get possible aggro when you can easily mind control that medic and use it's prayer of healing which heals for 2k+ AND uses only 400 mana over your own? Don't forget that the medic has 8k mana meaning it can chain cast it for a while, and if it gets aggro and dies...just remember that it wasn't you who just died. :P # Mind controlled npcs have their own aggro, spells cast by an npc do not get 'added' to your current aggro. # You can mind control something and let the surrounding 'linked' npcs kill it. Then fade aggro into the negative in order to dump the npcs onto your group/tank. Ghetto crowd control. Why fight 3 when you can fight 2. Leading to the next note # Mind soothe is VERY useful in getting close to humanoid npcs without them jumping you due to the 20 yard range of mind control. If you want them to focus on pet and not on you first (Remember aggro rules) use mind soothe. # Mind control damage is not counted as 'player dmg'. Meaning if a mind controlled pet kills something entirely by itself, you get no loot. But if a person in your group hits it for even 1 dmg it is counted as a player kill and you can loot it as normal. # You can mind control something and have it die, but you will recieve no loot for it. Instead let other npcs beat it up to 5% or so, then break mind control and one shot it to gain access to it's body. # Shadow Affinity and Shadow Focus affect the duration and aggro gained from mind control. If your into heavy controlling both are highly suggested to make your life and group's life easier. # Mind control can break early even if channeled bar is still somewhat full. A break is checked vs level/distance/resistances of target every x amount of seconds. What mobs are worth Mind-controlling, and have good abilities? Dire Maul North # Gordok Brutes - Very High dps/stun/knockback/high hp/tanks very well and can keep aggro # Gordok Warlock - Banish (Can banish anything)/Curse of tongues/immolate/shadowbolt # Gordok Reavers - Cleave/mortal strike/armor sunder/high hp/good tank # Gordok Mage-Lord - Frostbolt/60% 30 second haste buff/flamestrike # Gordok Captain - Instant shadowbolt attack/fear/high hp Zul'Gurub # Troll shadowcaster - Shadow volley for 1k+ and a 2 second shadow bolt spell for 1k+ dmg, single target. Can find these at the spider boss area and can use them to AE/clear spiders. Unsure of correct name. # Zul'Gurub Champions - Charge/stun/strike for high dmg, mainly found near bloodlord area, unsure of name. # Zul'gurub Headhunters - Mortal strike(Melee)/ranged strike/ranged dot/Throw (Ranged shot) # Zul'gurub Witchdoctors - Hex (Turns people into frogs)/Frog swarm (Spawn those frogs! MCed don't get frog detonate though)/?? # Zul'gurub Blooddrinkers - AE healthtap/health funnel(drains life from a friendly target, Example: MC two blood drinkers and health funnel one to kill off the other - dont use the blood funnel on one of your group members!) # Zul'gurub axe throwers - Enrage (% dmg increase by a large amount)/Axe whirlwind (AE attack)/Throw (Ranged attack) # Hakkari Blood Priest - Bloodfunnel http://www.thottbot.com/?sp=24617 (Transfers 500 life per second from bloodpriest to target, channeled spell) # Hakkari Shadow Hunter - Wyvern sting (sleeps target for 3 seconds, followed by poison dot), Volley, Shoot(can be spammed for lots of ranged dmg), and Multi-Shot. All attacks for the shadow hunter are ranged except volley. Stratholme Scarlet Crusader Side # Crimson Sorcerer - Polymorph/Arcane Missiles/Fireblast/counterspell/Very very high dps while spamming AM/blast and polymorph on those 4 pulls are VERY useful Note: Spells may do more dmg than tooltipped due to a non-player MCable skill which increases their spell dmg. I've had AMs hit for 800+ non crit every 1.5 seconds with these guys if they use it as I try to cast MC on them # Crimson Priest - Power Word : Shield/Heal (Large)/Holy fire (High dmg, long cooldown) Note: Power word shield from these npcs STACK with priest version. As the PW:S from npc DOES NOT GIVE WEAKENED SOUL DEBUFF. PW:S x2 on someone = invul almost, only limiter is cooldown. # Crimson Battle Mage - Blast Wave/Arcane Explosion Note: Ever envy mages for their AEs or hate how crappy holy nova is? Mind control one of these and let her/him rip on 3-4 npcs. It's just rediculous the dmg they pump out and it makes mages cry! # Crimson Gallant - Holy Strike(Holy dmg)/Crusader Strike(Increases holy dmg, debuff)/Devotion aura or Retribution aura (I forget which it was) Note: Bring a paladin and make them cry using these guy's skills. Very high dps for a melee npc. The aura from the npc paladin WILL overwrite player paladin aura if they put up the same auras. Player paladin can put up other auras though. # Crimson Conjurer - Fireblast/frostnova/frostbolt Note: No you can't summon elementals # Crimson Initiates - Flash heal/Mindblast/Renew (Ticks for 200-300+)/Mana burn(?) # Crimson Monk - Thrash (2 extra attacks)/Snapkick (Stun/knock down) # Crimson Guardsman - Charge/shield bash/disarm # Crimson Defenders - Paladin immunity shield/Hammer of Justice (stun)/Heal/Aura(?) Note: Using the immunity shield also makes him immune to mind control. # Crimson Inquisitors - Shadow word pain/crappy other skill Stratholme Baron/Dead side # Thuzudian Necromancer - Soul Tap (Mana/hp drain)/Bone Armor/Shadowbolt(?) Note: Bone armor is like PW:S but lasts longer and absorbs a LOT more dmg, low cooldown Blackwing Lair # Master Elemental Shaper Krixx - Teach Smelt Elementium # Blackwing mage - Arcane Explosion, Fireball. # Blackwing Legionnaires - unknown - An attack that does 400% damage to dragonkin. Blackrock Spire # Black Hand Assasin - Backstab/gouge (3 sec disorient)/slice and dice (haste speed buff) # Blackhand Dreadweaver - Shadowbolt, Veil of Shadow (-75% healing effects, curse), Curse of Thorns (50% chance to take 155-199 damage on attack) # Blackhand Incarcerator - Encage (30 second channelled stun), Strike (Like heroic Strike). # Firebrand Evoker - Mark of Flames (+1,000 fire damage, debuff), Flame Crack (AoE centred on the caster, ~1250 damage, and stun for 2-4 seconds.), Blast Wave. # Scarshield Spellbinder - Counterspell, Arcane Bolt (Fast Arcane damage spell), And Resist Fire (60 minute buff that grants 81-83 Fire Resist.) # Scarshield Warlock - Shadow Volley (AoE shadowbolt) # Smolderthorn Berserker - Mortal Strike, Strike (Like Heroic Strike) # Smolderthorn Mystic - Healing Wave, Chain lightning. # Smolderthorn Shadow Priest - Hex, Dispel Magic, Mana burn. # Spirestone Ogre Magus - Bloodlust (30% haste, 30 seconds, Arcane Bolt, Slow. Blackfathom Deeps # Blackfathom Oracle - Healing Wave and Parasite (DoT poison) # Blackfathom Sea Witch - Blizzard, Frost Ward, Frost Armour, Frost Nova. # Blackfathom Myrmidon - Disarm. # Gelihast - Net, Battle Stance. # Lady Sarevess - Forked Lightning (AoE cone), Frost Nova, Slow, Shoot. # Blindlight Murloc - Defensive stance and sunder armour. # Blindlight oracle - Lightning Bolt, renew, heal. # Blindlight Muck Dweller - Leech Poison (Health-leeching DoT) # Murkshallow Snapclaw - Disarm. # Twilight Loreseeker - Enlarge (Increases size and damage for 30 seconds) Slow. # Twilight Aquamancer - Frostbolt. # Twilight reaver - Arcing smash(Melee AoE cone) # Twilight Acolyte - Heal, Renew. # Twilight Shadowmage - Shadowbolt, Dominate mind (Up to 42.). # Twilight elementalist - Earth Shock, Flame shock, Frost Shock, and Shock. The Stockade # Defias Captive - Infected Wound (Disease, +5 physical damage), Backstab. # Defias Inmate - Rend, Battle stance. # Defias Prisoner - Kick, Disarm. # Defias Convict - Backhand (Two second knockdown) # Defias insurgent - Demoralizing shout, Battle shout. # Targorr the Dread - Thrash # Kam Deepfury - Shield Slam, Shield Wall, Defensive stance. # Hamhock - Bloodlust, chain lightning # Bazil Thredd - Smoke Bomb (2 seconds small AoE stun), Battle shout. (Spam auto attack to make him spam you back with many random /says.) # Dextren Ward - Intimidating Shout, Strike (Like heroic strike), Battle stance. Arathi Basin Mind controlling people off the mill cliffs, takes about 50% of thier health away. World Azshara # Blood Elf Reclaimer - Renew, Heal, Fireball. # Blood Elf Surveyor - Fire Nova (Fire damage to nearby enemies) # Spitelash Myrmidon - Strike (Like Heroic Strike) # Spitelash Siren - Frost Shot (30-31 additional frost damage, 40% movement snare) Felwood # Timbermaw Warder - Just auto-attack. # Deadwood Avenger - Curse of the Deadwood (Curse, Reduces healing by 50%) # Deadwood Shaman - Lightning Shield, Lightning Bolt, Chain lightning, Curse of the Deadwood. # Jaedenar Adept - Fireball, Fire Blast, Blink. # Jaedenar Cultist - Shadow Bolt, Shadow Word: Pain, Curse of Weakness. # Jaedenar Darkweaver - Shadow Bolt, Immolate. # Jaedenar Enforcer - Rend. # Jaedenar Guardian - Shield Bash, Improved Blocking (Increase chance to block by 76%. # Jaedenar Warlock - Shadow Bolt, Unholy Frenzy (Increases an ally's attack speed by 35% for 20 seconds, and inflicts 27-28 nature damage every 2 seconds.) Burning Steppes # Blackhand Sorcerer - Fireball, Flamestrike. Winterspring # Ragged Owlbeast - Festering Rash (Reduces all of an enemy's attributes by 21 for 30 min) # Winterfall Den Watcher - Winterfall Firewater (Increases the caster's melee attack power by 70 for 20m) # Winterfall Pathfinder - Shoot, Faerie Fire, # Winterfall Firewater. # Winterfall Totemic - Winterfall Firewater. Western Plaguelands # Scarlet Invoker - Arcane Missiles, Arcane explosion. # Scarlet Medic - Resist Arcane (Increases an ally's Arcane resistance by 78-84 for 1 hour.), Renew Flash heal. Mind Control buffs # Anvilrage Officer - Located in BRD - Have a devotion aura which while controlled gives about +1000 armour to all nearby party members. # Twilight Emissaries - Located in BRD - Have the Fury of Ragnaros buff which Increases Magical Damage done by 25 for 30 minutes. # Scarlet Medic - Located in Felstone Field, WPL. - Have the Resist Arcane buff that lasts one hour and gives 70-82 arcane resistance. # Vile Tutor - Located in EPL - Have the Dark Whispers buff which increases damage done by shadow spells by 35 for 10 minutes. # Venture Co. Geologist - Located in Stranglethorn Vale - Have Quick fire ward: Fire Damage Immunity for 10 seconds. And Fire Shield II - Deals 11-13 fire damage to anyone that strikes you. Lasts one minute. # Scarshield Spellbinder - Located in LBRS/UBRS - Fire Resistance, buff that gives +83 Fire Resistance for 60 minutes. # Gordok Mage-Lord - Located in Dire Maul - Bloodlust, Increases Melee attack speed by 30%, lasts 30 seconds. # Crimson Initiates - Located in Scarlet/Strath - Have a shadow resist buff which decreases shadow damage taken by 87. Bootnote Thanks to all the people in the old thread for all the information; most notably Nuvdar, who made a huge post with a bunch of the high-end instances. The old version of this thread had a fair few lowbie instances listed as well, such as SM, ZF and BFD. So if you want to help out, run to the lowbie instances and mind control everything in sight, and report your findings back here. I'll try and make a couple of runs if I don't get dragged into other things, I've still never been to SFK, so I might make that my first stop. I will check this thread pretty reguarly to update. Thankee. Tips * Mind Control can be a very potent spell in Arathi battleground when used properly, as it allows you to dispose of your foes by making them fall from atop a cliff... ---- Category:Priests Category:Priest Spells